SOFTWARE FOR MPS
Cloud savvy Managing and monitoring managed print services is becoming more important than ever. As businesses move increasingly to the cloud and are becoming ever savvier with the wealth of data that is being provided, the software for MPS is becoming increasingly important.
With many businesses focusing on efficiency thanks to the economic downturn and rising costs, many are looking to their printer fleet and managed print services (MPS) solution to find savings. The software behind MPS solutions can help to deliver this. “With the downturn in the marketplace, software in MPS is more important than ever,” says Ian Silvester, director of product management at EKM Global. “In the device management area, the focus is on cost management, business intelligence, automation and service management. “With the right software businesses can manage costs across MPS through automation, better service remediation – remotely and onsite – and provide business intelligence to ensure that the correct devices are deployed and consumable wastage reduced. This in turn will lead to more efficiencies within an MPS reseller as more devices can be managed by fewer people. Of course, all this needs to be securely delivered and managed, ensuring the data is not compromised, data sovereignty is maintained and all software is effectively managed.” Michael Field, managing director of Workflo Solutions, adds: “As the demand for more complex and agile MPS solutions grows, it
has become important to utilise software that provides the tools and insights you need to optimise your printing environment, enhance security, streamline workflows, gain valuable insights and reduce costs,” he says. “In addition, some specific benefits that can be derived from using software for MPS could be print cost analysis, print job auditing, user authentication, data encryption, printer provisioning and print accounting.” Size and needs Of course, what MPS software is needed depends on the size and needs of the business. “Different-sized companies require different solutions,” says Michael. He notes some important factors that businesses should consider when choosing a managed print software solution. “If you have a small company, you may not need a full- featured managed print software solution,” he says. “However, if you have a large company, you will need a solution that can scale to meet your needs.” Budget is also an important consideration. “Managed print software solutions can range in price from a few hundred pounds to several thousand. You need to choose a solution that fits the client’s budget,” he says. Likewise, the solution needs to reflect the business’ security requirements. “If you need a high level of security, you will need to choose a managed print software solution that offers features such as user authentication and data encryption,” Michael says. Then IT capabilities need to be considered, Michael adds. “If you have a strong IT team, you may be able to manage an on-premises managed print software solution. However, if you do not, you may need to choose a cloud- based managed print software solution.” instance, on-premises software is installed on the customer’s own servers and is typically more secure than cloud-based software, but it can also be more expensive to purchase and maintain. As Michael says, the location of the software needs to be considered. For
Ian Silvester director of product management
ekmglobal.com
If you do not have a strong IT team, you may need to choose a cloud-based managed print “
software solution.
”
28
Powered by FlippingBook